Method of forming wheel disks



Oct. 31, 1939. F. H. LE JEUNE .17 .143

METHOD OF FORMING WHEEL DISKS Filed April 12, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR l FRANK H. LeJEUNE A TTORNEYS 0a 31, 1939. I F. H. LE JEUNE 2,178,143

METHOD OF FORMING WHEEL DISKS Filed A ril 12, 193'? 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5. I INVENTOR FRANK H. LQJEUIE.

BY l 6/ 4 v ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 31, 1939 UETE' STATS PATENT orrlce METHOD OF FORMING WHEEL DISKS Application April 12, 1937, Serial No. 136,410

11 Claims.

This invention relates generally to vehicle Wheels and refers more particularly to an improved method of forming wheel'body disks.

One of the principal objects of this invention consists in the provision of a method of manufacturing wheel body discs composed of a relatively few simple steps capable of forming a tubular metal blank of substantial length into a wheel body .disk having a substantial radial dimension 10 and gradually tapering in thickness from the center thereof to the periphery of the same.

Another advantageous feature of this invention resides in the provision of a method of the character set forthwhich not only appreciably increases production but, in addition, minimizes any tendency for the metal to wrinkle or tear as it is fashioned from the tubular contour to the desired disk shape.

The relatively few simple steps in the method and the novel manner in which the same may be carried out to form a highly satisfactory disk wheel body member will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of a tubular sheet metal blank from which my improved wheel body disk is formed;

' Figure 2 is a cross sectional View through the blank illustrating the blank subsequent to upsetting one end of the latter;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view illustrating the blank after the end opposite the upset end has been flared outwardly;

5 Figures 4 and 5 are semi-diagrammatic cross sectional views illustrating the manner in which the blank shown in Figure 3 is formed into a tapered wheel body disk;

Figures 6 and 7 are semi-diagrammatic cross sectional views illustrating another way in which the blank shown in Figure 3 may be formed into the desired tapered wheel body disk.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5, inclusive,

it will be noted that a suitable strip of sheet metal is coiled, or hooped, and the adjacent edges of the strip are welded together to form a tubular blank, designated in Figure 1 by the reference character It. It will, of course, be understood that the length and Width of the strip of metal is a predetermined to provide a tubular blank having the required length and diameter to form a wheel body disk of selected dimension.

After the flash resulting from the butt welding operation is removed, the tubular blank is introduced to a suitable press (not shown), and one end of the blank is upset by bending the same inwardly with respect to the axis of the blank.

This upsetting operation provides for increasing the thickness of the lower end portion of the 5 blank and is effected without disturbing the cylindrical portion l2 of the blank. Upon completion of the upsetting operation shown in Figure 2, the blank is introduced into another press and the upper end of the cylindrical portion i2 is flared 10 outwardly and the bottom flattened in the manner designated by the reference character 53 in Figure 3. In addition, the previously upset lower end is fashioned to form a radially inwardly extending flange H, and this flange ultimately .15 forms the bolting-on flange of the wheel body disk.

After the flaring operation, the blank is seated on the top face of a pilot 14 mounted for reciprocation in an opening i5 formed through the cen- 20 ter of a die It. The .die 16 has a frusto-conicm top surface ll tapered in an upward direction from the central opening it at an angle predetermined in dependence upon the desired degree of taper of the finished wheel body disk i8 shown 85 in Figure 5. Upon reference to Figure 4, it will be noted that the internal diameter of the opening l5 through the die I6 is predetermined with respect to the external diameter of the cylindrical portion [2 of the blank to slidably receive this cylindrical portion and permit the blank to be supported by the pilot M in the central opening l5 of the .die.

Inasmuch as the flared end l3 of the blank is of greater diameter than the cylindrical portion 35 52 of the latter, it follows that the flared end portion overlies the frusto-conical surface ll of the die when the blank is initially positioned in the latter. As soon as the blank shown Figure 3 is positioned in the die it in the manner 0 shown in Figure 4, the flared end it is subjected to successive blows by a hammer die 59 mounted above the die 16 for movement toward and away from the frusto-conical surface of the latter. As shown in Figure 4, the bottom surface of the 45 hammer die E9 is formed with a cylindrical flat surface 28 corresponding in diameter to the radially inwardly extending flange i i of the blank and disposed in a parallel radial plane. This flat surface cooperates with the top surface of the 5 pilot I4 during the hammering operation to maintain the flange H in'a radial plane.

It will also be observed from Figure 4 that the bottom surface of the hammer die l9 surrounding the central portion 20 is tapered in an upward 55 direction at an angle determined to cooperate with the surface ll of the die 16 to form the cylindrical and flared portions 62 and !3, respectively, of the blank to provide the tapered disk portion l8 of the wheel body shown in Figure 5.

With the general construction of the apparatus defined above, it will be noted that after the blank in Figure 3 is positioned in the central opening [5 of the die 16 on the pilot H, the hammer die 19 is operated to flatten the flared portion l3 of the blank against the frusto-conical surface ll of the die 16. As the hammer die I9 is withdrawn from the die 16, the blank is fed upwardly a limited extent and the hammer die I9 is again lowered. This operation is repeated until the blank has been fed by the pilot M to its uppermost position shown in Figure 5, wherein it will be noted that the cup-shaped blank shown in Figure 3 has been formed to the desired disk contour. Although the above forming operation inherently effects a gradual thinning of the metal from the center of the blank to the periphery of the same, nevertheless, the cooperating tapered surfaces of the two dies are inclined slightly toward each other from the inner edges to the outer edges thereof, in order to impart a predetermined gradual taper to the blank and to also iron out any of the marks caused by the successive blows of the hammer die on the blank.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 6 and differs from the method previously described in the execution of the last step of the method. In the present embodiment, the cupped blank shown in Figure 3 is formed to the desired disk shape by a rolling operation instead of by a forging or hammering operation. In detail, the die I6 is mounted on a vertically reciprocable table 2! and is formed with a central opening l5 therethrough of a dimension to slidably receive the cylindrical portion l2 of the tubular blank. As in the first described form of the invention, a pad [4 is reciprocably mounted in the central opening 15 of the die V5 and the top surface of the pad engages the radially inwardly extending flange H of the blank to support the latter within the opening l5.

When the blank is seated on the pad M in the manner shown in Figure 6, the flared upper end I3 of the blank overlies the tapered surface ll of the die l8. As in the above described form of the invention, the tapered surface I1 is inclined with respect to a radial plane passing through the axis of the blank at an angle predetermined in dependence upon the desired contour of the disk N3 of the wheel body.

In the present instance, the flared upper end l3 of the blank is rolled against the tapered surface ll of the die It by means of a plurality of rolls 23 rotatably mounted in a head 24 which in turn is revoluble about the axis of the blank. The rolls 23 are concentrically disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the revoluble head 25 and the axes 25 of the rolls are inclined outwardly with respect to the axis of rotation of the head 24 at such an angle to locate the peripheral surfaces of the rolls in working relation to the tapered surface 11 of the die Hi. In this connection it is to be noted that the peripheral surfaces of the rolls may be parallel to the tapered surface ll of the die IE but, in the present instance, the rolls are supported in such a manner that the peripheral surfaces thereof are inclined with respect to the tapered surface ll of the die l6 from the inner ends of the rolls to the outer ends of the latter. This construction offers the possibility of rolling the cylindrical side walls of the blank to impart a predetermined taper to the wheel body disk from the inner edge of the disk to the periphery of the latter. Attention is also called to the fact that the rolls 23 are frusto-conical in shape and the inner ends of the rolls are smaller in diameter than the outer ends of the latter by an amount predetermined to compensate for the difference in peripheral speeds of the opposite ends of the rolls. Asa consequence, the metal of the blank will not be scoffed, or rubbed durin the rolling operation.

Assuming that the cupped blank shown in Figure 3 is supported on the pilot [4' in the position thereof shown in Figure 6, it will be noted that the table 2| and the pilot M are raised until the flared end l3 of the blank contacts with the forming rolls 23 on the revoluble head 24. Continued movement of the table 2! toward the revoluble head 24 is effected relative to the pilot M to bring the tapered surface I1 on the die l6 into engagement into the underside of the flared end portion l3 of the blank. When the parts are in this position, the flared end portion l3 of the tubular blank is clamped between the forming rolls 23 and the tapered surface [1 so that rotation of the head 24 serves to flatten the flared portion I3 of the blank against the tapered surface [1 of the die l6. [as the rolling operation continues, the sheet metal blank is fed in an upward direction by the pilot [4 and by the action of the rolls 23 on the metal. The rolling operation continues until the cylindrical side walls [2 of the blank have been deformed to the desired disk contour shown in Figure 7, whereupon the parts are re- .stored to their inoperative positions and the completed disk removed from the apparatus. It may be pointed out that the pilot I4 is moved axially of the opening l5 of the die [6 by fluid pressure means not shown herein.

From the foregoing, it will be noted that both methods of manufacture selected herein for the purpose of illustration comprise a relatively few simple steps capable of forming a cylindrical sheet metal blank to a disk contour without overstressing, or otherwise abusing the metal of the blank. It will also be observed that both methods render it possible to impart a gradual taper to the disk from the center of the same to the periphery thereof. In addition, both of my improved methods specifically defined herein offer the possibility of forming disk wheel body members of substantial radial dimension from cylindrical sheet metal blanks, and this is desirable particularly in forming large diameter wheels.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of a tubular blank in an outward direction, supporting the tubular portion of the blank in a central opening of a die member with the flared portion overlying a surface on the die surrounding the opening and corresponding in shape to the contour of the disk wheel body element, feeding the blank through said opening in a direction toward said surface by a step-by-step movement, and subjecting the flared end of the blank to the action of a hammer during the intervals of rest of the blank to form 7 the side walls of said blank against the surface aforesaid of the die.

2. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in upsetting one end of the blank to form a radially inwardly extending flange, flaring the opposite end of the blank outwardly, supporting the tubular portion of the blank in a central opening of a die member with the flared end of the blank overlying a surface on the die surrounding the opening and shaped to correspond to the desired disk contour, successively subjecting the flared end of the blank to the action of a hammer to form the flared end against the surface aforesaid of the die, and feeding the blank through the opening in the die toward said surface during the intervals the hammer is retracted from said surface.

3. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in upsetting one end of the blank to form a radially inwardly extending flange, flaring the opposite end of the blank outwardly, supporting the tubular portion of the blank in a central opening of a die member with the flared end of the blank overlying a surface on the die surrounding the opening and shaped to correspond to the desired disk contour, successively subjecting the flared end of the blank to the action of a hammer to form the flared end against the surface aforesaid of the die, feeding the blank through the opening in the die toward said surface during the intervals the hammer is retracted from said surface, and maintaining said flange in a radial plane during the disk forming operation.

4. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of a tubular blank in an outward direction, periodically exerting a pressure on the flared end to form the same against a surface shaped to correspond to the desired disk contour, and feeding the tubular blank in a direction toward said surface during the intervals the pressure on the blank is relieved.

5. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of a tubular blank in an outward direction, successively clamping the flared end of the blank between opposed die surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired disk contour, and feeding the tubular blank in a direction toward the opposed surfaces during the intervals the clamping pressure on the flared end is released to cause the metal of the tubular portion of the blank to flow between said surfaces.

6. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of a tubular blank in an outward direction, successively clamping the flared end of the blank between opposed die surfaces corresponding in shape to the desired disk contour, feeding the tubular blank in a direction toward'the opposed surfaces during the intervals the clampin pressure on the flared end is released to cause the metal of the tubular portion of the blank to flow between said surfaces, and progressively reducing the thickness of the 2 u flared portion of the blank from the radially inner end of the flared portion to the periphery of the latter 7. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in upsetting one end of the tubular blank to form a radially inwardly extending flange, flaring the opposite end of the blank outwardly, periodically exerting a pressure on the flared end of the blank to clamp said end against a surface corresponding in shape to the desired disk contour, holding the tubular side walls of the blank against deformation during the clamping operation, feeding said blank in a direction toward the pressure applying means during the intervals the pressure on the flared end of the blank is relieved to cause the metal of the side walls of the blank to flow along said surface, and maintaining the flange of the blank in a radial plane during the disk forming operation.

8. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of the blank in an outward direction, positioning the tubular portion of the blank in a central opening of a die member with the flared end portion of the blank overlying a surface on the die surrounding the opening and corresponding in shape to the contour of the disk wheel body element, clamping the outwardly flared end of the blank against the tapered surface by a rolling operation, and causing the metal of the side walls of the blank to feed outwardly along the tapered surface of the die member during the rolling operation.

9. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of the tubular blank in an outward direction, supporting the tubular portion of the blank in a central opening of a die member with the flared portion overlying a surface on the die surrounding the opening and corresponding in shape to the contour of the disk wheel body element, feeding the blank through said opening in a direction toward said surface, and rolling the side walls of the blank against said surface during the feeding operation.

10. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of the blank outwardly between adjacently disposed conical surfaces by feeding the blank axially of said surfaces and by relatively moving the surfaces toward each other into engagement with the side wall portions of the blank to form said side wall portions to the contour of said conical surfaces.

11. Those steps in the method of forming a disk wheel body element from a tubular blank which consist in flaring one end of the blank outwardly between adjacently disposed conical surfaces by feeding the blank with a step-loy-step movement axially of the surfaces and by periodically relatively moving the surfaces toward each other into engagement with the side wall portion of the blank to form said side wall portions to the contour of said conical surfaces.

FRANK H. LE JEU'NE. 

